People

Carmen Muñoz-Ballester obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biology and her Master’s degree in at the University of Valencia (Spain), where she is originally from. After that, she joined Dr. Pascual Sanz’s laboratory at the Institute of Biomedicine of Valencia (CSIC), where she completed her doctoral studies, graduating in 2017 with a PhD in Biotechnology. During those years, she studied the molecular basis of epilepsy in a fatal rare disorder known as Lafora disease and discovered her passion for astrocytes. Astrocytes are non-neuronal cells in the brain which play important roles in maintaining brain homeostasis and are very important in many neurological conditions, as they respond very rapidly to the brain. To continue her training in astrocyte response to injury, Carmen moved to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech in 2018 to start her postdoctoral training with Dr. Stefanie Robel, and later moved with Dr. Robel to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During her postdoc, Carmen studied the astrocyte response to mild traumatic brain injury. In August 2024, she started her own laboratory at UMBC where she focuses in how astrocytes respond to injury in the female brain. In her free time, Carmen loves reading, hiking, learning languages, travelling, doing indoor cycling and chocolate. She hates the Oxford comma.

Iris Indig is excited to be a member of the Muñoz-Ballester lab! Iris is a PhD student in the Biological Sciences Program at UMBC. She obtained her Bachelors of Arts from the same institution, and then went to complete a post-baccalaureate fellowship as part of the IRTA program at the National Cancer Institute, NIH. As an IRTA fellow, she studied a rare hypoxia related gene mutation in HIF2ɑ at the lab of Dr. Zhengping Zhuang. In the Muñoz-Ballester lab she will focus on studying the blood brain barrier and its relationship with traumatic brain injury, astrocytes and sex differences. Beyond research, she enjoys crocheting, reading and birding.

Mandi Lichtenstein is a PhD student in the Biological Sciences program at UMBC, and is excited to be a part of the Muñoz-Ballester lab. Originally from New Jersey, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Elon University in North Carolina, where she conducted computational genomics research in Dr. Andrea Perreault’s lab, studying the transition between hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Her research in the Muñoz-Ballester lab focuses on understanding species-specific differences in astrocyte biology by creating a chimeric mouse model in which human iPSC-derived astrocytes are integrated into the mouse brain. Using this model, she plans to investigate astrocyte responses to traumatic brain injury (TBI), with a particular emphasis on sex differences and the influence of estrogen. Her work also explores how the menstrual cycle and menopausal status affect astrocyte-mediated neuroprotection and blood-brain barrier integrity.
In her free time, she coaches the local swim team, enjoys listening to audiobooks, is a devoted dog lover and Taylor Swift fan, and loves to travel. A lifelong science enthusiast, she is especially excited to delve into the molecular biology of the brain and its connection to health and disease.

Elizabeth Wash, Masters student in the AMB program, is a proud member of the Munoz-Ballester lab. She is currently working on studying the impacts of mild-moderate traumatic brain injuries on estrogen receptors through intact plasmids, viral packaging, and studying astrocyte physiology. In her free time she enjoys reading and loves spending time with her dog, Snickers.

I am Aniket Camarushi, a junior Bioinformatics & Computational Biology major with minors in Computer Science and Statistics. I am  passionate about neuroscience and data analytical bioinformatics. During my time at the Munoz-Ballester Lab, I hope to explore the cell to cell expression of astrocytes and endothelial cells via single-cell RNA-seq and gain a deeper understanding of the laboratory methods. After completing my undergraduate studies, I aim to pursue a Masters and Ph.D. in Bioinformatics. Outside of academics and research, I enjoy playing tennis, watching anime, and make/listen to music which allows me to unwind and stay inspired.

Natasha Dao is a third-year undergraduate student majoring in Biology with a minor in Music. Natasha is currently certified as a medical assistant and strives to become a medical doctor. In addition to her academic pursuits, Natasha is passionate in playing piano, singing, and acting. In her free time she loves crocheting, engaging in clubs and community activities, and learning new music/instruments.
With a deep interest in neuroscience, Natasha is eager to work with Dr. Muñoz-Ballester to study astrocytes and their role in the response to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and recovery.

My name is  Olufemi Obideyi, a junior at UMBC majoring in Biological Sciences (B.A.) on the pre-med track. I joined Dr. Carmen’s lab to contribute to research on characterizing changes in glial cells during traumatic brain injury and recovery, especially in females. Outside of the lab, I enjoy watching anime and playing games

Shanmukha Josyam is a junior Biological Sciences (B.S.) major on the pre-med track, with minors in Music and Emergency Health Services. After his undergraduate study, Shanmukha aims to pursue an M.D. degree for a career in medicine, specifically in the field of cardiology. During his time at the Munoz-Ballester Lab, he hopes to explore the behavioral modulation of astrocytes in response to diffuse traumatic brain injury (TBI) in females and gain a deeper understanding of the laboratory methods used for data analysis. Outside of research, Shanmukha enjoys watching action movies and playing the violin.

Trisha Tomcy is a junior undergraduate Individualized Studies major with a concentration in Neurobiology and a minor in Music. She intends to pursue a M.D./Ph.D. in neuroscience, and is an NIH-BUILD Affiliate to make this aspiration a reality! Beyond the lab, Trisha enjoys writing music, immersing herself in poetry, and playing an absurd amount of Stawdew Valley to embrace a simpler life. Trisha loves the brain and is excited to learn more about it in the Muñoz-Ballester Lab!